Giuseppe Zangara

Attempted Assassin

Born: 7 September 1900

Died: 20 March 1933 (execution)

Birthplace: Ferruzzano, Italy

Best known as: The man who almost shot FDR

Giuseppe Zangara tried to shoot Franklin D. Roosevelt in Miami on 15 February 1933 -- before Roosevelt even took office as president. A bricklayer, Zangara apparently was angry at Roosevelt (and his predecessor, Herbert Hoover) over poor economic conditions amid the Great Depression. Zangara missed the president-elect but did hit five other people including Chicago mayor Anton Cermak. Cermak later died, and Zangara was swiftly convicted of murder and executed in the electric chair.

Extra credit: Zangara is also known as Joseph Zangara... Zangara was about five feet tall and so had to stand on a chair to get his shot at FDR. According to some accounts, his aim was thrown off when the chair wobbled; other say a local woman grabbed Zangara's arm.. Roosevelt was inaugurated on 4 March 1933, and Cermak died two days later... His last words before his execution were reportedly "Adios to the world!"